Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-09-18

SltI1ng with her one evening,
asked if the life of school-teachel
was not distasteful. If she did moi
find it an irksome and irritating tasl
at times Ito teach the young idea how
to shoot"
| 81 do, indeed" she answered, "bui
| must earn my bread, and what am
to do?"
Marry, Miss Emily" l advised
solemnly.
! ITO find counter-irritant in hus-
band" she laughed.
''Most girls think a husband in
evitable, and, l suppose, you must
choose one some day, unless"
added hesitatingly, ''your selection is
already made"
''No, no, Mr.. Gilsley, it is not"
But you have lover, Miss
Emily ?"
She arose from my side and ap-
preached the window. Her face was
averted as she spoke, and her voice
was full of bitterness.
had that article girls call lover
once, whom | thought / cared for, but
now l know hate him." Then, after
moments pause, she turned toward
me and said: 81 wonder you never
married, Mr.. Gilsley."
"T The reason is not far to seek. A
| girl fooled me in boyish days, and
since I've lived lonely life, hating
your sex; but when met you, Emily,
became the same soft and plant
thing was ere yet knew naughty
woman's scorn If you did not mind
marrying an old man, my dear, l
would devote the few remaining years
of my life to your happiness.
/" You really cannot be serious, Mr..
Gilsley?"
l assured her most earnestly that |
was, and pressed her for an answer.
But although Miss Brandt declined to
accept my proposal, she allowed me
to become her escort to many places
of amusement. and | am not aware
there is anything to be ashamed of in
the confession that l felt supremely
happy in the society of this bright
young girl. Those walks, for instance,
through sequestered byways OF Cen
trail Park were inexpressibly delight
ful, and one of them l particularly
remember. We were following a
path that skirts sheet OF ornamental
water near the southern boundary
when | felt the small gloved hand
| that rested on my arm tremble vio
lently, and l turned my glance tc
Emily's face. Her eyes were down.
cast, and the color had deepened on
| her cheeks.
is there anything the matter?"
asked, but she did not answer me.
Perhaps you know that gentleman
who passed-he who wore the button.
Mere of pansies, and stared so rudely
at us both?'
81 did not see the gentleman with
the bnttonniere of pansies, but sup
pose it was Harrv-Mr. Hilliard, ]
mean"
But, Miss Emily, if you did not
look at him how could you fix his
identity ?"
A faint, sweet color still flushed her
cheeks as she raised her eyes to mine
and murmured: "Oh! l dare say,
MIR. Gilsley, by that instinct which
warns woman when the man She
she hates is near"
! I was seated with Emily the follow
ing evening when the servant entered
with a letter. 1 saw she recognized
the handwriting, and did not fail to
remark her agitation as she begged tc
be excused and Withdrew to read the
contents. Half an hour passed before
she returned, and the angry flashing
of her eyes induced me to ask if the
letter contained anything to disquiet
her.
mo, no-nothing, she replied,
almost curtly, and turned away. Pres
emily she came over to where | sat,
and looking me frankly in the face,
she said:
''Mr. tiilsley. you once told me it
would make you the happiest of men
if | promised to be your wife"
eyes, dear Emily, the happiest
man in this wide, wide world," ar
IDENTIFY exclaimed.
There was a quiver of the pouting
lips, gathering moisture in the dear,
dark eyes that with sweet maiden
bashfulness met my gaze as she whis-
pered: "Well, Mr.. Gilsley, you have
that promise now."
drew her gently to me and pressed
the betrothal kiss upon her "wee
bit NOW sac sweet and bonnie. ,
Beautific sensation! For the first time
in forty years my lips had touched 8
woman's, and in fancy was boy
again; so true is it that love is ar
elixir which rejuvenates the Oldest.
With the engagement ring the fol
lowing day l presented my fiancee
with a parrot, believing a woman is
never truly happy without a pet. The
prevailing feminine fashion, was
aware, has been always in favor o.
puppies, but hating all dogs of higl
or low degree, 1 presented my Emily
with parrot. A parrot, too, tha
seemed to have had exceptional edu
cational advantages, and could talk al
glibly as New York politician.
very appropriate bird, Miss Brand
remarked, as 1 afterward learned
to sing the epithalmium of bachelo
of 65. That bird, however, becam,
my bete noir. Before the expiration
of week he addressed me as "Yo,
dear, old darling" and though oftel
: l suggested his removal to anothe
apartment, Emily demurred with tn
naive confession that she found th
presence of her pet a salutary re
straint to the impetuosity of her lover
The day Of our marriage had bee
decided on, and one morning L lei
New York to transact some necessar
business at Pittsburgh. | was absen
two weeks-just fourteen short days
which, in my impatience, seemed t
have heightened into as many months
In the dusk of a summer evening
returned, and arriving at the hous
ran up the steps with the agility OF
younger man. | guessed where
would find Emily, and tapped at tn
door of a room, an tho oround floor -